Thursday, 23 October 2014

Author in the spotlight is ...Kerry Wilkinson

I am delighted to welcome Kerry Wilkinson to the blog to talk about his latest book in the Jessica Daniel series of crime novels.

Jessica Daniel #8
Macmillan
2014

Hi Kerry ~ welcome to Jaffareadstoo...

What inspired you to write a crime series?

It was a bit of an accident in that the plot for Locked In -
my first book - dropped into my head unexpectedly one Saturday. If the plot for
a wacky space opera with singing ducks had made its appearance known instead, I
think my life might have taken a different turn.

What makes a good villain?

Someone whose motive is sound. He or she might be evil to
everyone else's eye - but if the villain truly believes in their own actions,
that's what makes them scary. It's why explanations such as, "The bad
guy's crazy" is such a cop out.

Are you a plotter.... or a start writing and see where it
takes you sort of writer?

I plot everything methodically, chapter to chapter. The
final draft doesn't necessarily end up the way I'd originally plotted but it's
there or thereabouts.

What scares you about writing books?

Nothing. There's nothing to be scared of.

What books do you like to read?

All sorts. I recently finished Stephen King's Mr Mercedes,
which is a thriller. I'm reading Columbine, a non-fiction telling of the
massacre and I'm also into Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley - a comic about
choices, which is utterly brilliant. I never limit myself to one genre.

What’s next ?

There's another Jessica book, Scarred For Life, out in early
2015; then the second of my young adult-fantasy trilogy, Renegade, in
April/May. I'm writing new stuff at the moment, too. I always have something on
the go. I feel lazy if I'm not doing five things at once.